Chapter 95
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------
Chapter 95
"So it seems she forced the experiments on herself while collaborating with the Gaejo Faction. It probably started as a transaction, but she became deeply involved."
My goodness.
Now I understood why the Tower Master looked a decade older whenever he spoke of his daughter.
"The Tower Master has apparently only now realized he can't suppress this alone. He's been sending us records of his investigation into the Gaejo Faction."
"I see..."
Crown Prince Kiaros fell silent. He had no intention of saying anything more.
Though honestly, the fact that he'd revealed this much was remarkable. He'd once told me he didn't trust even me.
It seemed he was only sharing this because my father was in the Gaejo Faction's hands.
I'd promised to find my father, but I was failing to keep that promise.
"That's fortunate. With the Tower Master's help, the investigation should progress considerably."
I gently steered the conversation away without pressing further.
"Speaking of which, you mentioned last time that Your Highness had secured experimental specimens. How is that proceeding?"
Crown Prince Kiaros cleared his throat. After a moment's hesitation, he spoke.
"We stopped right there. But the mother who underwent the experiments showed no changes, while the offspring displayed unusual traits. When we administered the drug to the mother, the offspring reacted."
"My."
That was both unsettling and fascinating. I blinked, asking carefully.
"What happened to those creatures?"
"We killed them."
Crown Prince Kiaros spoke without the slightest hesitation.
"They were beings that defied the natural order of the world. Leaving them alive posed too great a risk."
"I... see. Of course..."
His tone was calm, yet so resolute that it felt somehow chilling.
It was a moment that made me truly grasp what it meant to be an Imperial Official without mercy.
As I awkwardly averted my gaze, Crown Prince Kiaros noticed the wine glass in my hand and asked.
"Did you drink?"
"Oh, no."
I sheepishly set the glass down on the railing.
"I wasn't drinking—Victor and I were just playing a drinking game using the railing..."
At that moment, the railing snapped with a crack.
'Great, now even the railing is compromised?'
I looked at Crown Prince Kiaros with a serious expression and spoke earnestly.
"Your Highness, I suggest you investigate the checklist verifiers from the Administrative Support Department's safety inspection. I lack the authority to investigate other departments. I believe the final inspector was Marianne Carosa... which is strange. She's usually very thorough."
"...You memorized that?"
"Yes."
I naturally reviewed and memorized all public documents released each day.
In any case, Crown Prince Kiaros seemed somewhat taken aback by the railing's collapse. I laughed awkwardly.
"Shall we head back inside?"
"You said you wanted fresh air. Is it alright to go in?"
"Well... I suppose this is enough. Besides, fresh air wasn't going to solve anything anyway..."
I had forgotten the reason I came out to the Balcony in the first place, distracted by the two men, but it wasn't without purpose.
My stomach, which had been unsettled for days, continued to churn uncomfortably.
Whenever my stomach felt queasy, something peculiar came to mind.
All those digestive aids that had once cluttered my desk, which I'd somehow managed to carry to my room with great effort.
'Kibon... Could he really be a spy?'
Even knowing it might not be true, I remained deeply troubled. His absence today weighed on my mind.
The Kibon I knew would never simply leave a note saying he was ill and cancel at the last moment—unless he deliberately stayed away knowing something would explode.
I couldn't ignore the Empress's habitual refrain either: 'This bastard has bad instincts. He's deceiving you.'
'Could Kibon really be a spy?'
The thought made my emotions surge painfully.
The light in his eyes when we shared meals, the broad back that naturally shielded me when Riedan attacked, the resolute voice telling Victor, 'If it were me, I would never lend something like that'....
'Ah.'
My stomach churned again, and digestive aids flickered across my vision once more.
Even that neat handwriting advising me to see a doctor if it became serious.
'One of the three—Victor Awin, Anastasia, or Kibon—is the spy... So why am I only thinking about Kibon?'
I bit my lower lip hard. Tears had welled up without my noticing, blurring my vision slightly.
"Ah, um, there."
As I wiped away the tears with my fingertips, Crown Prince Kiaros visibly panicked.
"Why, why are you crying.... Uh, what should I, what should I do in this situation...."
Seeing someone so perfect become flustered, the tears that had been flowing suddenly stopped.
He seemed like the type who would politely excuse himself if anyone cried.
'What is this. Why is it cute?'
He fumbled uncertainly before belatedly producing a handkerchief and offering it. It was clearly his first time doing something like this.
"Um, are you perhaps hurt somewhere? If I call the Imperial Palace physician right now...."
"Ah... No, it's not that. It's just... thinking that among those three people, there's a spy who maliciously altered the scroll, it feels so overwhelming. They're all people I trusted quite a bit...."
If a real accident had occurred, many people would have died and been injured.
I could have been among the casualties, and even if I had evacuated safely, I would not have escaped severe punishment.
No, before severe punishment, I would never have forgiven myself....
"Ah, could it be because of Victor Awin."
I had actually been crying thinking of Kibon, but Crown Prince Kiaros seemed to have misunderstood.
"I overheard a bit earlier—'it's so radiant,' 'I want it,' 'what should I do,' he was being completely obsessed about it."
Hmm... Could Crown Prince Kiaros really be someone who spoke so crudely.
I laughed awkwardly and waved my hand.
"It seems you didn't hear what I said. It was a complete rejection."
I had no intention of going into tedious details with Crown Prince Kiaros. We weren't really in that kind of relationship anyway.
So I wrapped it up cleanly.
"Still, it feels refreshing. It was a relationship I wasn't even bothering to touch because it was annoying, but at least it's been resolved. It feels like I can finally make a completely fresh start now...."
I smiled brightly. Crown Prince Kiaros stared at me blankly.
That was when the banquet seemed to be beginning in earnest, with light music drifting through the air.
"Shall we go back in? I need to hear some praise before the first dance begins...."
"Praise?"
"Yes. You did wonderfully with that event. You should go get recognized and hear the accolades. Strike while the iron's hot—you should quickly discuss joint projects with the other ministers too...."
As I explained enthusiastically, Crown Prince Kiaros let out a soft laugh.
"Very well, then. Off you go."
Then, gazing at me, he spoke tenderly.
"Go show everyone the brilliance of Namia Loapi."
* * *
When I re-entered the Banquet Hall, as expected, many people swarmed toward me.
"Minister, that was absolutely remarkable. Truly impressive. We'll be sending an official document from the Civil Engineering and Construction Department soon, so please take note of it."
Not only did proposals come from places that hadn't even treated us as a proper department before, but requests for cooperation arrived as well.
"Our Foreign Affairs Department is hosting an event to receive an Imoet Kingdom delegation. It would be an honor if the Scroll Department could cooperate with us."
"Oh, that's wonderful!"
At the Foreign Affairs Minister's suggestion, I responded with unbridled enthusiasm.
"Actually, my secretary, the Intern, is from the Imoet Kingdom! I'm confident we can do an excellent job!"
I answered with a bright smile, but then suddenly came to my senses and hesitated.
'What am I doing, Namia? If Kibon is a spy, why did I react so eagerly the moment the Imoet Kingdom was mentioned....'
My mood plummeted in an instant. The unconscious joy I'd felt moments before made the emotional crash all the more severe.
Without letting my newfound sadness show, I continued speaking with a composed smile.
"I'm quite knowledgeable about Imoet Kingdom culture. Just leave it to me. Their greetings are rather unique, so I'll create an excellent scroll using that as the concept."
"Cough!"
Beside me, Crown Prince Kiaros suddenly coughed.
---------------
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
---------------